ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference released its 2026 Softball Preseason Poll on Wednesday morning, as voted on by the conference's head coaches. The University of Northwestern was picked to finish third, collecting 26 points in the poll. UW-Superior was selected to finish second with 32 points and two first-place votes, while Bethany Lutheran was chosen as the preseason favorite, earning five first-place votes for a total of 35 points.

The full UMAC preview and preseason poll can be found here.

The Eagles are coming off a strong 2025 campaign, finishing 13-5 in conference play and advancing to the UMAC Championship game, where they fell to Bethany Lutheran. Head coach Alicia du'Monceaux, entering her 18th season at the helm, looks to guide Northwestern back to the conference championship game for the 12th consecutive season.

UNW returns several key contributors, led by senior shortstop Lani Schoper (Madison Lake, Minn./Mankato West), who anchors the infield after earning All-Defensive Team honors last season. Schoper was also a force at the plate, finishing top three on the team in nearly every major offensive category, including batting average, OPS, runs scored, and RBI. Fellow senior Ireland Strubbe (Chandler, Ariz./Valley Christian) is set to once again be a top option in the circle after an outstanding 2025 campaign. Strubbe ranked fourth in the UMAC with a 2.39 ERA, third in the conference in strikeouts, and second in both opposing batting average and wins, establishing herself as one of the league's most consistent pitchers. The Eagles also welcome five newcomers to the roster this spring.

Northwestern will open its 2026 season on Valentine's Day at the Bethany Lutheran Tournament in Mankato with a two nonconference matchups against Saint Mary's University at 1:00 PM and Gustavus Adolphus College at 6:00 PM.